21 June 2021

No 10 bats away suggestion triple-lock pension pledge could be suspended

21 June 2021

Downing Street has suggested that reports claiming the Government’s triple-lock pensions pledge could be ditched or suspended are wide of the mark.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said ministers remained “fully committed” to the state pension increasing in line with inflation, earnings or 2.5% – whichever is higher.

Strong recent growth in earnings and inflation have prompted concerns that sticking to the guarantee will be problematic.

With average earnings data showing a rise of 5.6%, and the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) measure of inflation hitting 2.1%, the process of setting a new state pension for April 2022 is likely to be expensive, with reports the Treasury is facing an added £4 billion pension bill.

I’m reading all sorts of stuff at the moment which I don’t recognise at all about the Government’s plans

The earnings data is artificially high because a year ago wages were depressed with many people being furloughed, and reports have surfaced suggesting the Government is toying with the idea of suspending the triple lock for a year or taking a two-year average to help cut back the spike.

But when asked about the possibility of a one-year suspension of the manifesto pledge, the Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “We are fully committed to the pensions triple lock.”

Boris Johnson was asked about the triple-lock reports during a visit to a laboratory in Hertfordshire on Monday.

He told broadcasters: “I’m reading all sorts of stuff at the moment which I don’t recognise at all about the Government’s plans.”

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng told LBC radio that the matter would be for Chancellor Rishi Sunak to consider but added: “I don’t think there is any chance he will change it.”

No 10 said a review later this year would determine the “final figures” used for any pensions uprating.

Asked whether the review could give the Treasury “wiggle room”, Mr Johnson’s spokesman added: “We’re just simply making the point that there is significant uncertainty around the trajectory of average earnings and whether there will be the spike that has been forecasted.”

The official denied that hikes in income tax could alternatively be used to pay for the UK’s Covid recovery, following heavy borrowing by the Government during the pandemic.

“On income tax, we’ve been clear that there was a promise made at the election that we would not raise the rate of income tax and we stand by that,” said the Prime Minister’s spokesman.

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